Old Hollywood Movies That Sparkled Again Years Later

If you have been keeping up with the Sundance Film Festival 2026, you may have found yourself wondering what Andrew Stanton is doing these days. The Whiz behind Wall-E has at long last arrived back on live-action soil and he is doing so with uncertainty, not caution. His new film In the Blink of an Eye is not only a return to form it is a high concept, mindbending thrill ride.  

In the Blink of an Eye at a Glance

Andrew Stanton’s Bold Return to Live-Action Sci-Fi

So, what’s the deal? That’s not your average “aliens destroy the White House” science-fiction movie. It’s a triptych — which is just a fancy way of saying that it tells three separate stories that are all interconnected. 

A Typical Alien Story Told Across Millennia

It is a narrative that leaps randomly back and forth over the course of thousands of years, from ancient Neanderthals to the current day, and then to the future. 

It’s ambitious, it’s a little experimental, and it’s trying to suss out what really makes us “human” from era to era. 

A Triptych Narrative That Spans From Neanderthals to the Future

Visual Storytelling Over Dialogue

Andrew Stanton had long been working on big shows such as Stranger Things, 3 Body Problem, and he spent that time ‘hand-picking’ his dream team. He’s also leaning heavily on his animation roots. 

Andrew Stanton’s biggest takeaway is the importance of imagination. He thinks the presence of a character — an expression, a movement, or maybe a choice can say more than dialogue ever could. The end product is a movie meant to make you feel first, leading emotion with images rather than explaining everything in words. 

Rejecting the Hero’s Journey for Something Riskier and Richer

The author, Colby Day, confessed he was a little tired of the typical movie structure we get applied to everything. Rather than tracking a single protagonist on a familiar trajectory, he wanted to “blow up the world” and change the rules. He was inspired by films such as Cloud Atlas — those “big swings” that might be a little messy but way more interesting than a “safe” blockbuster. 

How Editing Three Timelines Finds One Shared Human Emotion

Just think about what it would be like to edit three separate films into one. The editor Mollie Goldstein said they had to find “sync points.” They’re moments when a character in 45,000 BC is experiencing exactly what someone in the future is. It’s the emotional glue that holds the whole thing together. 

Why Emotional Connection Is Replacing Spectacle in Sci-Fi

Connectedness is the new spectacle: The age of hollow, effects-laden action-movies is waning. In the Blink of an Eye caters to a burgeoning demand for narratives with emotional connections — demonstrating that no matter how far technology evolves or centuries elapse, what really resonates is how intimately we are linked to one another. 

The Comeback of Big, Risky Ideas in Modern Filmmaking

The Comeback of the “Big Idea”: For a time, it seemed like movies were made by committee. This feels like a personal project and a risk. If this works, studios will once again trust directors with strange, “unfilmable” scripts. 

What the Film Says About Being Human

Universal Struggles: By featuring Neanderthals, the film makes us aware that even as our phones evolve, our hearts don’t. We’re all still coming to grips with the same primal fears and loves that people had thousands of years ago. 

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Conclusion

Darkly In The Blink of an Eye is a quiet rebellion against all the sci-fi that has played it safe for far too long. Rather than pursuing bigger explosions and louder stakes, it looks inward – across centuries, across species, across futures – to consider what actually endures. 

When the film connects Neanderthals, modern humans and future societies through shared feelings, it tells us our survival is not dependent on wiping out the other; rather it magnifies our humanity. If this movie sticks the landing like it promises, it won’t just be a standout at Sundance — it may indicate a turn toward even braver, more emotionally intelligent sci-fi, where connection matters more than spectacle. 

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Supergirl’s outfit has never been just an outfit. Costume has been a constant source of identity issues for the character. And still, a debate continues to revolve on social platforms. From Melissa Benoist’s sunny Arrowverse take on the character to Milly Alcock’s gritty DCU debut, Supergirl’s wardrobe has been telling stories long before she’s landed her first blow.

At the heart of the development of Supergirl’s look is not about fashion trends. It is what kind of hero the world needs her to be. And while Benoist’s suit was a symbol of unity and hope, Alcock’s costume is for survival, sorrow, and isolation. Those two creations embody very different approaches to storytelling. 

The Arrowverse Supergirl: Dressing the Paragon of Hope

It seemed like there were dark leather suits and gritty realism everywhere when Supergirl premiered in 2015. Costume designer Colleen Atwood had to find a way to take Silver Age idealism and translate it into a contemporary, realistic look without making the character seem cold.

The solution was subtlety. Melissa Benoist’s costume was based more on texture than armor or detailing. The matte Euro-jersey material absorbed rather than reflected light, making the outfit appear soft, friendly and human. This Supergirl was supposed to be inspiring, not frightening. Strength was there, but never aggressive. 

Arguably the most conscious decision was the omission of the notorious midriff costume that the character sported in the comics. The high neckline, long sleeves and thumb holes suggested function over fashion. Kara was portrayed as a hard-working, active hero — not a pinup. Even the thumb holes brought an “activewear” feel, making the suit more about function than fantasy. 

The Skirt Debate

For the first four seasons, the red pleated skirt was a staple of Benoist’s Supergirl. In part, it paid tribute to the character’s comic legacy and suggested that femininity and strength could co-exist. She was able to save the city, but do so while being joyous and kind and emotionally open.

But the skirt was also contentious. Critics said that it infantilized the character, comparing it to a cheerleader uniform rather than armor for battle. Yet the show leaned into this tension. That skirt sent a message: Supergirl wasn’t required to ditch the traditionally feminine signifiers to be capable. Her sunny disposition wasn’t a vulnerability — it was her superpower. 

Reality Steps In: The Pants Era

The biggest change was in  , when the character started wearing full length pants instead of the skirt. Though it was presented as maturing character-development, the change was due more so to production needs. Shooting in Vancouver’s brutal weather, the original suit was an ordeal for Benoist.

The new suit highlighted unity and protection. The elongated blue body, attached boots, and solid gold belt gave the outfit a more armored, technological look. It was sensible, but it also watered down the immediately recognizable outline Supergirl has. It was practical—but it also diluted the instantly recognizable Supergirl silhouette.

Benoist’s Supergirl remained, above all else, an icon. Her costume was sleek, luminous and aspirational, customized to comfort both viewers and the world she saved. 

The DCU Supergirl: Armor for a Broken Survivor

Milly Alcock’s Supergirl finds itself in a vastly different world. Kara is no longer defined by being integrated or hopeful under James Gunn’s DCU. She’s defined by loss.

Born amongst the remnants of Krypton and seeing all she loved perish, this Supergirl is not a light—she is a survivor. Her costume reflects that reality. Taking inspiration from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, the costume dispenses with sleek minimalism and introduces layered textures, metallic weaves and visual weight. This is not clothing. It is armor.

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A Crest Without Warmth

The largest visual change is the House of El symbol. The Kingdom Come diagonal slash that has traditionally been a sign of disenchantment is now part of Alcock’s crest. The elimination of yellow is vital. Yellow is warmth, sunlight and positive feeling. It’s gone to indicate mourning. She bears the name of the family, but not its innocence. 

The Return of the Skirt—Reclaimed

In a surprising about-face, the DCU reintroduces the skirt. But this is not the CW’s smiling cowlick of cheer. It’s heavier, more structured, and worn with thigh-high boots. The skirt on this occasion is cultural, not cute — a claim that femininity doesn’t need justification.

In contrast to the earlier debates, Alcock’s Supergirl is not depicted as trying to be “approachable” by putting on the skirt. She vents it because she doesn’t give a damn what people think about it. Her toughness is unquestionable. 

Space Grunge and the Drifter Myth

Maybe the most revealing aspect of Alcock’s visual design is what she wears on top of the suit. The oversized trench, combat boots and sunglasses make her a cosmic drifter. This Supergirl hides herself from the world, cloaking trauma in layers.

The contrast is deliberate: under the tattered, dirty shell is the regalia of a bygone culture. It is visual storytelling at its most efficient. 

Conclusion

The shift from Arrowverse to DCU is a game changer for the genre in and of itself. Supergirl isn’t just a beacon of hope anymore. She was evidence that hope could exist after ruin. 

Melissa Benoist’s Arrowverse suit was a beacon of hope, warmth, and community, making Supergirl someone to look up to. Millie Alcock’s DCU design, however, is armor – forged through loss, survival, and emotional wounds. All of these identities give us a visual representation of Supergirl’s arc from a bright emblem of hope to a profoundly human survivor, reminding us that what a hero wears can tell the tale of who they are—and what they’ve been through. 

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